Senior's Center

Vision problems

Definition

There are many types of eye problems and vision disturbances, such as:

Halos

Blurred vision (the loss of sharpness of vision and the inability to see fine details)

Blind spots or scotomas (dark "holes" in the vision in which nothing can be seen)

Vision loss and blindness are the most severe vision problems.

Alternative Names

Vision impairment; Impaired vision; Blurred vision

Causes

Vision changes and problems can be caused by many different conditions. Some include:

Presbyopia -- difficulty focusing on objects that are close. This problem often becomes noticeable in your early to mid 40s.

Cataracts -- cloudiness over the eye lens, causing poor nighttime vision, halos around lights, and sensitivity to glare. Cataracts are common in the elderly.

Glaucoma -- increased pressure in the eye, which is most often painless. Vision will be normal at first, but over time you can develop poor night vision, blind spots, and loss of vision to either side. Glaucoma can also happen suddenly, which is a medical emergency.

Macular degeneration -- loss of central vision, blurred vision (especially while reading), distorted vision (straight lines will appear to be wavy), and colors that look faded. The most common cause of blindness in people over age 60.

Eye infection, inflammation, or injury

Floaters -- tiny particles drifting inside the eye, which may be confused with retinal detachment.

Treatments depend on the cause. Surgery will be recommended for some conditions.

Prevention

Regular eye checkups from an ophthalmologist or optometrist are important. They should be done once a year if you are over age 65. Some experts recommend annual eye exams starting at an earlier age.

How long you go between exams is based on how long you can wait before detecting an eye problem that has no symptoms. Your health care provider will recommend earlier and more frequent exams if you have known eye problems or conditions that are known to cause eye problems, such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

These important steps can prevent eye and vision problems:

Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes.

Wear safety glasses when hammering, grinding, or using power tools.

If you need glasses or contact lenses, keep the prescription up to date.